What are our ears doing?

Today is a solemn day, a day of remembering. Every year since 2001 on this day I get a sad glimpse of how broken our country is. I love to listen to a song by Skillet on this day called “You are My Hope”. It says…

Times are hard
Times have changed
Don't you say
But I keep holding on to you
It's hard to keep the faith alive day to day
Leaning on the strength I've found in you
You're the hope of all the Earth

The only thing that can heal our brokenness and bring our country and people hope is Jesus. As I was thinking about this I thought about other countries that have experienced brokenness and I found myself in the book of Isaiah reading about the people of Israel. Isaiah, chosen by God, was called to speak hope into the people of Israel. This is what he says about himself in chapter 50…

The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. (50:4)

I love that picture of God awakening Isaiah’s ear to listen to a word of hope he can administer to those around him. “Like one being taught” indicates that God doesn’t want Isaiah to just let it go in one ear and out the other, but to soak it in, analyze it, and be able to spit it out again. Like Isaiah, God has called every single one of us, in whatever form that may be, whether we become pastors or missionaries or rock stars or bank tellers or grocers or whatever we become. :) He has called us to administer his word of hope to the broken and hurting around us. My challenge to all of us today- what are our ears doing? Are we allowing our ears to be opened like one being taught that we might hear his word and administer his peace, love and hope to our broken world? Or are we just letting it go in one ear and out the other? Isaiah 51:15 is God’s word to Isaiah, and ultimately his word to you and me, his chosen, his called.

For I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar- the Lord Almighty is my name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand- I set the heavens in place and laid the foundations of the earth says to you, “You are my people.” (51:15)